Effect Of Silver Electrode Wetting State On Oxygen Reduction Electrochemistry

Surface wettability plays an important role in heterogeneous electrocatalysis. Here we report a facile laser ablation strategy to directly modify the wettability of the silver catalyst surface and investigate its effect on oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A broad range tuning of 2e(-)/4e(-) ORR pathways was achieved, with hydrophilic silver surfaces (contact angle (theta(w)) 31.1 degrees +/- 0.6 degrees) showing high activity and selectivity towards 4e(-) reduction of oxygen to water.